How Carter Severns Thinks About Directness and Rapport in Leadership

Jan 22, 2025

Carter Severns, SVP of Marketing for Delivery Solutions, chats about the significance of empathy and intentionality in leadership. He discusses how building rapport enhances effective communication and the role of likability in a leader's success. Severns shares insights on navigating challenges like budget cuts by emphasizing transparency while maintaining morale. With a focus on remote work, he offers practical strategies like weekly coffee chats to strengthen team connections. His journey shows the transformative power of genuine relationships in leadership.

Ask episode

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

Intro

00:00 • 2min

The Power of Soft Skills in Leadership

01:35 • 19min

The Importance of Context in Leadership and Team Communication

20:45 • 5min

The Art of Transparent Leadership

25:24 • 10min

Building Rapport in Remote Work

35:39 • 4min

The Power of Honest Feedback in Leadership

40:05 • 3min

On today's episode of "How Leaders Think" Kenny Lange sits down with Carter Severns, SVP of Marketing for Delivery Solutions, for an open conversation about the importance of building rapport and relationships in effective leadership. In this insightful episode, they delve into strategies for genuine connection within teams, the impact of transparent communication, and why likability plays a crucial role in a leader's effectiveness. Carter shares his journey from being mentored early in his career to now leading high-growth companies, emphasizing the power of empathy and intentionality in leadership. Whether you're in a remote setup or a traditional office environment, this episode is filled with practical advice to help you cultivate a more connected and cohesive team.

Other places to find the “How Leaders Think” podcast:

* Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-leaders-think-with-kenny-lange/id1434737807

* Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2wKtzb6KaF1vNlG9TsZkzh

* Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy50cmFuc2lzdG9yLmZtL2tlZXAtcmlzaW5nLXdpdGgta2VubnktbGFuZ2U=

* Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b13c5d64-50db-4626-9685-c356116ec54b

* YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KennyLange/podcasts

* Website: https://howleadersthink.kennylange.com/

Carter Severns Resources:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carter-severns/

#LeadershipDevelopment #EffectiveCommunication #BuildingRapport #CareerGrowth #WorkplaceCulture

(00:00) - Career Story: Early Soft Skills Lesson
(03:20) - Pandering to Out-of-Touch Leadership
(08:03) - Door-to-Door Sales Experience
(12:22) - Rejecting Top-Down Blame Culture
(16:49) - Empathy Towards Leaders
(20:44) - Importance of Context and Team Commitment
(23:29) - Transparent Communication in Sensitive News
(26:59) - Importance of Positive Feedback
(29:47) - "Parenting: Balancing Respect and Likability"
(34:38) - Genuine Rapport Over Likability
(37:08) - Building Rapport Beyond Work Relationships
(38:52) - Implementing 360 Feedback for Growth